PLACES: Wooded Islands, the Lagoons, Soccer Field and Bobolink Meadow.

DISTANCE: 2 miles

WEATHER: Sunny. Temperature 48 – 54 F., Wind East 4 – 10 mph.

TOTAL SPECIES COUNT: 29 (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose 20

Wood Duck 23 A whole flock of 23 were found eating acorns off the ground in the oak grove east of the Purple Martin Houses. Then the flock dispersed to the sky and the water. Amazing gathering!

Mallard 8

Mallard (Domestic type) 1 The Mankey Mallard was in the North Lagoon in the company of a couple of Mallards

Chimney Swift 31

Ring-billed Gull 4

Great Blue Heron 3

Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 Juvenile

Cooper's Hawk 1 Eating its fresh prey on a tree along the Soccer Field shoreline. Slate gray back. Orange speckled chest. Too busy to give us any heed.

Belted Kingfisher 2 They put on quite an aerial display of chasing one another over our heads as we stood on the North Bridge. The Blue Angels jets could not mirror the close pursuit. Amazing show!!

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 7

Downy Woodpecker 3

Northern Flicker 3

Eastern Phoebe 1

American Crow 1

Black-capped Chickadee 6

Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 There appears to be a migration of this beautiful bird, with its tin horn toots, in northern Illinois. The Chicago lakefront birders have reported numerous sightings this past week. Coming home in the South Loop at dusk, there was one waiting for me by my garage door. It took off before I could get a phone. Fair winds to all.

Brown Creeper 1

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Spotted by Eric G.

Gray Catbird 1

European Starling 2

American Goldfinch 6 North end of Bobolink Meadow.

White-throated Sparrow 7

Black-and-white Warbler 1

American Redstart 2

Magnolia Warbler 1

Palm Warbler 12

Yellow-rumped Warbler 23

Northern Cardinal 5

House Sparrow 2

This is a group report, with many birders contributing to the list. Most of the birds were seen by at least several or all of the birders.

Corrections, additions and comments are welcome.

Recordings are not used to attract birds.

This report will be documented on eBird as a group report for the Wooded Island Bird Walks.

The Walks are free and open to one and all. They are held year round. Newcomers are warmly welcomed.

Darrow Bridge: Darrow Bridge has been barricaded by the Department of Transportation. A high black metal iron fence has been erected on all four sides. The fence will remain in place until Darrow Bridge is completely rebuilt, which could be several years away. The Bridge has been deemed unsafe.

Birders meet on the east side of Darrow Bridge.

Saturday morning walks: Start at 8:00 a.m. covers a distance of two miles. Birders walk counterclockwise around the Columbia Basin (North Lagoon) onto Wooded Island. Exiting Wooded Island at the south end, the birders walk along the soccer field and enter the south end of Bobolink Meadow. The Meadow’s path leads to the Music Bridge and back to the East Parking Lot. In late fall, winter and early spring, the birders check for birds on the lakefront and Outer Harbor near LaRabida Hospital, and the Inner Harbor.

Metered parking is available in the East Parking Lot that is accessible from South Lake Shore Drive. There is a Stop Light at Science Drive. This Stop Light is approximately 200 yards south of the major intersection with signs for Museum of Science and Industry. Make a turn at the 57th Street and Science Drive Stop Light towards the Museum. Turn Left (south) at the intersection of Science Drive and Columbia Drive. Go through the parking lot to the west end.

Birders meet in the southwest corner of the East Parking Lot.

Parking and Lots:The East Parking Lot is preferred. There is also unmetered parking along Stony Island Avenue from 56th to 59th Street.